


Wine and Blood

by EscapeTheVault



Series: Highborn [8]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 21:17:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18764410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EscapeTheVault/pseuds/EscapeTheVault
Summary: I wrote Rorikstead as a bigger town than it actually is. The mayor is a completely fabricated character for the purpose of setting up what happens. This was all originally going to be in part 7 but I thought it would be too many transitions so I broke off this part as a smaller chunk.Also, Faida is the woman in Dragonbridge that appears to be Maro's lover.





	Wine and Blood

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote Rorikstead as a bigger town than it actually is. The mayor is a completely fabricated character for the purpose of setting up what happens. This was all originally going to be in part 7 but I thought it would be too many transitions so I broke off this part as a smaller chunk.
> 
> Also, Faida is the woman in Dragonbridge that appears to be Maro's lover.

“How could you let her do this?” Jenassa’s voice was uncharacteristically shrill. “That was reckless and could have been dangerous.”

“Would you relax? I was with her the whole time.” Vorstag was possibly the most annoyed Zenotha had ever seen him.

“I was with her and she still got hurt!”

“Oh is THAT what this is actually about? You failed to keep her safe so obviously I would too.”

“CHILDREN.” Zenotha interjected. “First of all, I am right fucking here. Don’t talk about me like I’m not. Second of all, I am not a child and neither of you is a parent. Lastly, I am a grown-ass adult and so is Vorstag, and he did what I told him to, which, if I recall correctly, is precisely what I paid him to do. So if you two are done with your pissing contest, I’d like to get ready for the party that the mayor of Rorikstead is hosting for us.”

“Ma’am.” Vorstag bowed slightly, shot a glare at Jenassa, then ducked back out of the room. Zenotha turned to fully face Jenassa.

“You do not have exclusive rights to my happiness or deciding my well-being. If you’re really my friend, you would appreciate what Vorstag tried to do. I almost didn’t have Faendal tell you because I knew you would pull this exact bullshit.” Zenotha pursed her lips. “As far as I can tell you need this break as much as I do, okay? Come on. Put on a good set of clothes and help me pick out some jewelry. The boys packed my whole collection.”

“Of course they did. THAT is really why you should have waited for me.”

“Ugh, I’ll definitely think about that next time, actually.” She snickered and walked over to her trunks. “I’m leaning towards green tonight. I have a really pretty onyx set to go with it. I think we should put you in red?

“Sounds good.” Jenassa smiled back.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Introducing Ser Vorstag, of Markarth!” The page furrowed his brow but tried to hide his confusion. Vorstag entered the banquet hall nervously. He was definitely a fish out of water. Zenotha couldn’t tell whether it was the fine clothes or the attention that was making him uncomfortable. ‘Probably both,’ she thought. He looked around for a place to stand. The mayor gestured for him to stand next to his table.

“Introducing Ser Jenassa, of Whiterun!” Jenassa was far more confident than Vorstag. The red dress Zenotha had picked out for her was a far bolder color than any of the other ladies in the room were wearing, even without the ornate beading Taarie had added. She hadn’t had a good reason to wear the dress since Vittoria’s wedding, and the bold red made Zenotha smiled inwardly. All eyes were glued to Jenassa as she crossed the room. If Zenotha didn’t know better, she’d think Jenassa was actually enjoying this.

“The Lady Zenotha of House Aedius of The Summerset Isles. Thane of Whiterun, Falkreath, The Reach, The Pale, and The Rift, and the Dragonborn.” Zenotha put on a big smile that she hoped didn’t look fake. She’d decided on her sapphire blue gown instead of the green and was rewarded with quiet gasps and awe as she crossed the room gracefully. When she reached the mayor’s table, she dipped into a curtsy so slight it was barely noticeable.

“Mayor Brannon. I’m honored to be invited to such a generous party in our names. I’m looking forward to us having a fantastic time here.”

“We’re happy to have you here.” Mayor Brannon grinned. “Enough talking! Come sit down and enjoy!”

The other attendees in the room applauded. Zenotha took what was obviously meant to be her seat, with Vorstag and Jenassa on either side of her. The parade of wine and food began, with a couple of young men bringing out a choice of dinners for them. Zenotha was delighted to see salmon cooked exactly the way she like it. Vorstag chose a roast pheasant, and Jenassa was glad to have the slow-cooked beef. A particularly handsome man brought a jug of wine specifically over to Jenassa, who was delighted that it was white wine instead of the more common reds. “Oh is this plum wine? It’s my absolute favorite!”

Vorstag was going out of his way to use his manners. Zenotha bit her lip to not laugh at how completely awkward he obviously was in this situation. She leaned over with a napkin hiding her mouth. “Just be yourself. The way you’re holding your silverware is painful to watch.”

“I just don’t want them thinking I’m sort of barbarian.” 

“We fight dragons. I think they expect you to be a bit of a barbarian. Besides, with as slow as you’re eating, it looks like you’re not enjoying your dinner.” She dabbed around with her mouth and went back to her meal. Vorstag paused, then put his knife down and began picking apart the meat with his fingers. The mayor smiled, and leaned back in his chair to continue eating. “Told you.”

Another man brought a jug of wine over to Zenotha. She waved it away, her own goblet still very full. Mayor Brannon waved it over, and had the man pour some for his brother, seated next to him. He then turned to the attending bard and motioned her to play. The notes of a familiar song drifted through the room. Zenotha smiled and raised her goblet to her. The rest of the attendees followed suit slowly. The mayor applauded enthusiastically.

Suddenly, there was an outburst from the mayor’s brother. He was choking, slamming his hand on the table. The young man who had served him wine shrieked and dropped the jug. One of the mayor’s guard swooped in an seized him, dragging out of the room. Zenotha dropped everything and ran over to the mayor and his brother. It wasn’t lost on her that this wine had originally been brought over to her. One near-death experience in a week was enough.

“I don’t know what I’ll be able to do, but I can try.” Her voice sounded strange, calmer than it should have been. Her hands glowed with a healing spell, and she placed them on the man’s abdomen. She was hopeful for a moment that she’d be able to help, but then the man started convulsing and blood poured out of his mouth and eyes. She scrambled backwards without thinking to keep the blood from getting on her gown, and immediately felt selfish for doing so. Seconds later were the familiar signs of life leaving the body. She looked over at Mayor Brannon. “I am so sorry, Ser.”

“It’s nothing. You tried.” He stared down at his brother’s body blankly. Zenotha looked over to the table where Vorstag and Jenassa were still standing, shocked. Emotions hit her suddenly like a brick. She gathered her skirts and fled from the room.

When she got outside, she let go of her skirts and just started walking. She didn’t know where she was going, just that she needed to not be here anymore. Especially if Jenassa was about to get very “I told you so” with them.

“Zen!” Vorstag shouted when he got outside. She wasn’t emotionally prepared to deal with either of them. She blindly threw up an invisibility spell- neither of them knew she was able to do it, and she knew she’d get shit later, but that was later. She broke out into a run in the direction of the nearby river. She ducked under an overhanging rock just as the spell wore off. She could sort of hear Vorstag and Jenassa shouting for her. She tried to control her breathing so they wouldn’t hear her. It was then that she heard the footsteps. Shrouded by their wearer’s boots.

Then she realized that someone had to have given that boy the wine to give to her, and that person was somewhere nearby her. Jenassa was going to murder her if this person didn’t first. She was going to have a literal firefight in a fucking gown. Taarie might kill her if Jenassa didn’t. She took a deep breath, counted down, and prepared a fireball behind her back. She slowly came out from cover, looking around wildly for her stalker. 

It was Kerah, and she was aiming an arrow straight at Zenotha’s throat.

“This is how you like to kill, isn’t it? Arrow to the throat? Or an ice spike to the heart?” She smirked. “You aim to kill. Clean, perfect kills. That’s why the Dark Brotherhood wanted you so badly. And why no one will care that I killed a bloodthirsty assassin who murdered Gaius Maro in cold blood in Markarth.”

“Wow so you got the wrong version of that story, didn’t you, crazy?” Zenotha laughed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, although this is a very romantic story. A crazed assassin tried to kill me in the middle of the street and I defended myself. What does it matter to you, anyway?”

“Faida paid me good money to make sure you would wind up in Rorikstead. I knew I could appeal to Vorstag, that damned fool. He’s so blindly in love with you, he didn’t even pay attention to the obvious risk. Shame that Jenassa followed you here. Not that she can stop this.”

“Well…..” Zenotha grinned wickedly as her human teeth transformed into wolf teeth. Her eyes went yellow and she roared as she transformed into her beast form. The element of surprise worked in her favor, and Kerah reacted by stumbled backwards. Zenotha grinned and lunged forward. Claws ripped flesh on both arms and Kerah dropped the bow and arrow. She screamed in pain and terror and fell to the ground. Zenotha snarled and tore out her throat with a single blow. Kerah reached up as if to try to put it back together. Blood spewed from her throat and mouth, rasping as she tried to speak. She towered over her, watching as she struggled to breathe, and as she died.

“Zen!” The shouts of Vorstag and Jenassa startled her out of her bloodlust. Both of them knew of her condition but had never seen it- it was bad enough that her friends knew she was a monster, they didn’t need to see it. Panicked, and realizing when she shifted back she’d be nude, she clumsily fumbled with the clasp on her necklace. Maybe if she left it by the body, one of them would figure out what happened. She dropped it where she stood. On a second thought, she pulled the cloak Kerah was wearing off her body. She took off at a run, looping around back towards Rorikstead. She’d sneak back into the cottage they were in once she shifted back to her human form. 

It seemed like hours before she felt herself shifting back. She wrapped Kerah’s cloak around her tighter, reeling slightly at the smell of her blood. The sounds of the town had quieted around her, so she slipped out into the street. The door was right around the corner, so she was in with the door closed behind her before any of the guards even looked over. Neither Jenassa nor Vorstag looked the slightest bit surprised to see her.

“Vorstag, buddy…” She gave him an exasperated look. “Your buddy Kerah tried to kill me so I had to go beast mode.”

“We found her. I assumed it was you.” Vorstag couldn’t look at her. “The town thinks wolves got her, don’t worry.”

“It’s not your fault, you know.” Jenassa smiled weakly at him. “I never would have guessed it was her either.”

“What good are we if we can’t detect a threat right under our noses?”

“Vorstag, don’t do that to yourself.” Zenotha stepped closer to him. “I mean, I couldn’t tell either. We’re all safe, though, and that’s what matters. You two are the most important things in the world to me, okay?”

“I know.” Vorstag sighed. “I really do.”


End file.
